No skill is more important in today's world than being able to think about, understand, and act on information in an effective and responsible way. What's more, at no point in human history have we had access to so much information, with such relative ease, as we do in the 21st century. But because misinformation out there has increased as well, critical thinking is more important than ever. These 24 rewarding lectures equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to become a savvier, sharper critical thinker in your professional and personal life.

3 out of 5 stars

Same Material Different Title

By
Amazon Customer
on
09-21-14

Thinking Like an Economist: A Guide to Rational Decision Making

By:
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Professor Randall Bartlett Ph.D. Stanford University

Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
873

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
760

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
754

Economic forces are everywhere around you. But that doesn't mean you need to passively accept whatever outcome those forces might press upon you. Instead, with these 12 fast-moving and crystal clear lectures, you can learn how to use a small handful of basic nuts-and-bolts principles to turn those same forces to your own advantage.

4 out of 5 stars

Great for beginners, nothing you for an economist

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V. T.
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07-08-15

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The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Professor Ken Albala Ph.D. Columbia University

Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins

Original Recording

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Eating is an indispensable human activity. As a result, whether we realize it or not, the drive to obtain food has been a major catalyst across all of history, from prehistoric times to the present. Epicure Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said it best: "Gastronomy governs the whole life of man."

5 out of 5 stars

One of my top 3 favorite courses!

By
Jessica
on
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The Story of Human Language

By:
The Great Courses,
John McWhorter

Narrated by:
Professor John McWhorter

Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins

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Language defines us as a species, placing humans head and shoulders above even the most proficient animal communicators. But it also beguiles us with its endless mysteries, allowing us to ponder why different languages emerged, why there isn't simply a single language, how languages change over time and whether that's good or bad, and how languages die out and become extinct.

5 out of 5 stars

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By
SAMA
on
03-11-14

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The Great Courses

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Professor Robert C. Solomon Ph.D. University of Michigan

Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins

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967

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Story

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What is life? What is my place in it? What choices do these questions obligate me to make? More than a half-century after it burst upon the intellectual scene - with roots that extend to the mid-19th century - Existentialism's quest to answer these most fundamental questions of individual responsibility, morality, and personal freedom, life has continued to exert a profound attraction.

4 out of 5 stars

Good for even a non-existentialist

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Gary
on
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The Great Courses,
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Bringing together the imaginative strategies of fiction storytelling and new ways of narrating true, real-life events, creative nonfiction is the fastest-growing part of the creative writing world. It's a cutting-edge genre that's reshaping how we write (and read) everything from biographies and memoirs to blogs and public speaking scripts to personal essays and magazine articles.

4 out of 5 stars

Fiction! Nonfiction! You Name It!

By
Gillian
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Your Deceptive Mind: A Scientific Guide to Critical Thinking Skills

By:
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Professor Steven Novella M.D. Georgetown University

Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
4,717

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
4,174

Story

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4,094

No skill is more important in today's world than being able to think about, understand, and act on information in an effective and responsible way. What's more, at no point in human history have we had access to so much information, with such relative ease, as we do in the 21st century. But because misinformation out there has increased as well, critical thinking is more important than ever. These 24 rewarding lectures equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to become a savvier, sharper critical thinker in your professional and personal life.

3 out of 5 stars

Same Material Different Title

By
Amazon Customer
on
09-21-14

Thinking Like an Economist: A Guide to Rational Decision Making

By:
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Professor Randall Bartlett Ph.D. Stanford University

Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
873

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
760

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
754

Economic forces are everywhere around you. But that doesn't mean you need to passively accept whatever outcome those forces might press upon you. Instead, with these 12 fast-moving and crystal clear lectures, you can learn how to use a small handful of basic nuts-and-bolts principles to turn those same forces to your own advantage.

4 out of 5 stars

Great for beginners, nothing you for an economist

By
V. T.
on
07-08-15

Food: A Cultural Culinary History

By:
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Professor Ken Albala Ph.D. Columbia University

Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,217

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,998

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,970

Eating is an indispensable human activity. As a result, whether we realize it or not, the drive to obtain food has been a major catalyst across all of history, from prehistoric times to the present. Epicure Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said it best: "Gastronomy governs the whole life of man."

5 out of 5 stars

One of my top 3 favorite courses!

By
Jessica
on
12-28-13

The Story of Human Language

By:
The Great Courses,
John McWhorter

Narrated by:
Professor John McWhorter

Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,451

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,226

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,195

Language defines us as a species, placing humans head and shoulders above even the most proficient animal communicators. But it also beguiles us with its endless mysteries, allowing us to ponder why different languages emerged, why there isn't simply a single language, how languages change over time and whether that's good or bad, and how languages die out and become extinct.

5 out of 5 stars

You'll Never Look at Languages the Same Way Again

By
SAMA
on
03-11-14

No Excuses: Existentialism and the Meaning of Life

By:
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Professor Robert C. Solomon Ph.D. University of Michigan

Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
967

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
833

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
807

What is life? What is my place in it? What choices do these questions obligate me to make? More than a half-century after it burst upon the intellectual scene - with roots that extend to the mid-19th century - Existentialism's quest to answer these most fundamental questions of individual responsibility, morality, and personal freedom, life has continued to exert a profound attraction.

4 out of 5 stars

Good for even a non-existentialist

By
Gary
on
07-24-15

Writing Creative Nonfiction

By:
The Great Courses,
Tilar J J. Mazzeo University of Washington Ph.D

Bringing together the imaginative strategies of fiction storytelling and new ways of narrating true, real-life events, creative nonfiction is the fastest-growing part of the creative writing world. It's a cutting-edge genre that's reshaping how we write (and read) everything from biographies and memoirs to blogs and public speaking scripts to personal essays and magazine articles.

4 out of 5 stars

Fiction! Nonfiction! You Name It!

By
Gillian
on
05-05-15

Publisher's Summary

Don't just let influence just happen to you. Instead, take charge of your life by grasping the science behind how influence works and by strengthening your own skills at using it to your advantage. In this dynamic 12-lecture series, you'll discover how to tap into the hidden powers of influence - and use these powers to enhance your life in ways you never thought possible.

Using clear and accessible language, Professor Brown teaches you how and why influence works. You'll explore the four key factors involved in influence attempts; delve into exciting psychological and sociological research and experiments; ponder the ethics surrounding influence by studying the lives of historical leaders (and despots); get solid tips for becoming more influential; and hone your skills with simple exercises for everyday living. By the final lecture, you'll be able to harness the power of influence at home, at work, at the store, in your social life, and anywhere else you may need it.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

WOW

For me personally this book is really great at expanding your level of knowledge about influencing others and how to identify those who might use influence for malicious purposes. As always the great courses lectures give excellent examples of persons in history that model the level of influence and ethics that are needed to become a great leader

The Good:Professor Brown executed the performance well. He particularly did a great job tying everything together at the end of the lectures. It is obvious that the content was well thought out.

The Bad:I gave the performance a 3 out of 5 stars only because I felt the perspective was a tiny bit biased. During the lectures of sales and being both a consumer and a sales person. I felt that he treated sales as something to be afraid of, or to protect yourself against. This became especially apparent when he mentions his personal accounts with sales people. Don't get me wrong, I did get some good take aways being a professional sales person. I felt, however, that the content would be better suited for a cautious consumer than an aspiring sales person.

Was it worth it?I do believe it was worth listening to. I learned a lot, and despite what I felt was a biased perspective of sales, he conveyed a lot of helpful tips and data that I benefited from.

What did you learn from Influence that you would use in your daily life?

The most important points I took away were on the lessons of public speaking. He had great examples of his concepts and related them together in a very interesting way.

practical lessons backed up with research

What made the experience of listening to Influence the most enjoyable?

I've listened to another 'The Great Courses' book, and this one actually took me in. It was EASY to listen to, which is important for this kind of non-fiction, life lessons kind of thing. To be fair, it is about Influence, so the guy giving the lectures probably should be able to tell a good story. But Professor Kenneth Brown was personable and got you to think about each point with both practical lessons, and referenced research. And unlike many other books, he doesn't just say here is the research... now figure out what the lesson is for yourself... he actually tells you what is the correct response. Very nice for a change. For example a good handshake makes a world of difference in interviews, with him citing the case studies with practical experiments and the real world manager's decisions.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Not really a story.

What does Professor Kenneth G. Brown bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His personable character. It's the kind of book where there is so much information that you wish you had the physical book as well so you could highlight stuff, and come back to it, carry it around and refer to it. If it was JUST the book, then i think i wouldn't have the courage to listen to it. The Professor explains everything with passion, because after all this is his subject, which creates interest just by itself. -I think this is a book that could benefit highly from named chapters in audible. so far there are 5 'chapters' which are really the 5 individual lectures... however there is so much information covered in each of these, that these lectures should be broken down into topics.

Its the kind of book that you want to refer back to, but in its audio book form, you really need some sort of reference labels, otherwise you don't know which part is which.

What’s an idea from the book that you will remember?

Well, yes the handshakes. + how to influence your manager rather than actually doing a good job to get the promotion. But to be honest this is the kind of book that 1/4 of the way through, i knew i would have to listen to it again at least another 2 times. There's just so many lessons in here with so much useful and demonstrat-able evidence, that it's not enough to remember everything in 1 sitting. Or at least not if you're taking notes.

Any additional comments?

Very impressed. Recommended it to my dad who is now listening to it. It's the first audiobook version of a lecture series that i truly enjoyed and will listen to again. But i think because of the fact that you want to refer back to the lessons/ points in the book you really either need chapter titles or the actual book itself.

I think this book is practically applicable for anyone working in an office environment, and enjoyable as a good listen for pretty much everyone else.

this is a great resource to understand influence

this is a great resource to understand influence. I assumed it would be because the reviews and it's true. In addition to understanding influence and persuasion it delves into the topics of salesmanship and Leadership which one expected to me. stories are concise and practical so that applications are easy to find and practice

Felt Like a Lesson Review

I was disappointed with this course as it was a review of other courses I have taken. If it wasn't for having already heard all of the information before, I think this course would still have been lacking because I don't think it delved deep enough to allow someone to &quot;Master Life's Most Powerful Skill&quot;.

Sort by:

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

D. J. Wilkinson

07-20-15

Brillant course.

This is a really good course, looking at the relevant research without being "academic". It is useful, practical and well informed with examples of interesting studies and cases. Well recommended.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Overall

4 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

4 out of 5 stars

Kieran

06-23-15

Great Course, needs accompanying material.

The Great Courses are fantastic but the accompanying materials should also be available. Their absence detracts from the overall experience.

4 of 7 people found this review helpful

Overall

4 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

4 out of 5 stars

Mark Lancaster

08-16-17

Strategies for ethically improving your influence.

In a world where key leaders highlight the dark triad of influence to wield power it is a good course to help you identify such unscrupulous machinations. More importantly though, the lecturer leads us through strategies to make ourselves better influencers to improve our goals and the lives of those around us.

Excellent collection of topics

This is an excellent collection of topics ranging from the four components of influence (agents, targets, tactics and context) through to practical applications such as impression management, public speaking, negotiation and sales. Good coverage of theoretical concepts and major research studies, as well as popular books. Good alignment with core concepts taught in MBA courses, including terminology & case studies.

This is not a course in manipulation or exploitation, although it does touch on such techniques (mainly so you can spot their use and resist them). Rather, like management courses generally, it takes the long view in developing effective influence through building credibility and capability.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Overall

4 out of 5 stars

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

Story

3 out of 5 stars

Anthony

09-16-15

Interesting insights

Good set of lectures, enjoyed learning about the different facets of influence. I understood it all - they did a great job of turning complex psychology into something the average person would comprehend...i.e. me.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Overall

3 out of 5 stars

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

Story

3 out of 5 stars

Linda Branson

08-17-17

Helpful and clear

Something every HR professional and hiring manager should read. Gives a clear and intelligent explanation of the difference between influence and persuasion. Enjoyable and easy listen.

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Sandeep

07-13-17

Really amazing book.

This is a great book that I will be listening again. I will recommend it to anyone who has an interest in this area.

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Anonymous User

06-19-17

Awesome well presented thoroughly enjoyed

Awsome well presented would recommend for any budding leader thank you for the incite into the mysterious world of influence

Overall

4 out of 5 stars

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Brendon

12-21-15

excellent

content was good, coverage of some issues could be more in depth, I would recommend it